Ice maker



Spt. 5, 1961 c. c. BAUERLEIN ICE MAKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 he ILZ'Q T' Carl C. Bauer/e111 P 5, 1961 c. c. BAUERLEIN 2,998,709

ICE MAKER Filed Sept. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 5, 1961 c. c. BAUERLEIN ICE MAKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 he :lZcLT' Carl C. Bauer/em p 1961 c. c. BAUERLEIND 2,998,709

ICE MAKER Filed Sept. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Car/ 6. Bauer/em Sept. 5, 1961 c. c. BAUERLEIN 2,998,709

I ICE MAKER Filed Sept. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 z 155 7- [%N m [QM r m x I50 12/ 11/ A 7 w L/24 I59 IZZYg Q1: LZE 2121" Carl C. Bauer/6,612

2,998,709 ICE R Carl C. Bauerlein, Lineolnwood, Ill., assignor to The Dole Valve Company, Morton Grove, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 763,254 12 Claims. (Cl. 62-135) This invention relates to improvements in ice makers and more particularly, relates to an improved form of automatic ice maker for use in household refrigerators. A principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified and efiicient form of ice maker and operating and control means therefor arranged with a view toward utmost simplicity and efiiciency'in operation and control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of ice maker of the self-releasing rotatable tray type, utilizing a single motor for rotating the tray and having a simplified form of control means operated by rotation of the motor, controlling energization and deeuergization of the motor, and the filling of the empty ice molds with water. 7 g

Another object of the invention is to provide an ice .maker of the rotatable tray type of ice maker having a thermal element and electric heater therefor, for rotating the tray to bring empty ice molds in position for filling, as water in the full ice molds is frozen, in which a single switch energizes and deenergizes the electric heater and effects the filling of the empty ice molds with water, and

in which the operating control for the switch includes an ice level sensing arm maintaining an operative connection to the switch and the continued cycling of the ice maker until the storage basket for the ice pieces is full.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds shown in FIGURE 1, looking at the ice maker toward the opposite end thereof from the drive mechanism therefor;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line III--III of FIGURE 1 with certain parts of the ice tray broken away and certain other ,parts thereof shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken .through the heat motor for operating the rotatable ice tray and controlling the cycling of the ice maker;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the heat motor shown in FIGURE 4, drawn to a reduced scale and looking at the heat motor at the drive end thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary end view with the end cap for the heat motor removed, showing the drive connection to the cam ring for controlling operation of the heat motor;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line VIIVII of FIGURE 6; FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken through the liquid measuring device for measuring a uniform quantity of water to the ice molds;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the measuring device taken substantially along line IX-JX of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the circuit diagram for effecting operation of the ice maker and carrying the ice maker through its ice making cycles.

2,998,709 Patented Sept. 5, 1961 ice In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, .1 have shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 a storage basket 10 for frozen ice pieces, herein shown as being in the form of prisms. The storage basket 10 has an open top having a rotatable freezing receptacle or ice tray 11 extending therealong and mounted thereabove, on a frame 12 extending upwardly from opposite end Walls of said storage basket and over the top of the ice tray 11. v

The ice tray 11 is of a form somewhat similar to'that shown in my application Serial No. 740,898 filed June 9, 1958, and entitled Self-Releasing Ice Molds, now Patent No. 2,939,298, so need only be shown and described in sufiicient detail to render my present invention readily understandable. As herein shown, the ice tray 11 is generally triangular in form having three sets of ice molds 15 spaced apart, and is rotatably mounted concentric with the center thereof on studs 16 and 17. The stud 16 is shown in FIGURE 2, as being rotatably mounted in a recessed bearing block 19, mounted in a slotted portion 20 of a vertical end wall 21 of the frame 12, and retained in position in said bearing block by a leaf spring 23 engaging the top thereof. A second leaf spring 24, herein shown as being formed integrally with the leaf spring 23 extends inwardly of the wall 21 and abuts an end wall 25 of the ice tray 11 and yieldably restrains rotation of the tray and biases the stud 17 into engagement with a drive socket 26 in a driving member 27, rotatably mounted in an end cap 29 for a casing 30 for a heat motor 31. The driving member 27 and heat motor 31 rotatably drive the tray 11 step by step in one direction, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds. The casing 30 is suitably mounted on an end wall 28 of the frame 12 at the opposite end of said frame from the end Wall 21.

Partitions or dividers 32 extending between radial walls 33 are provided to divide the tray into molds 15, herein shown as being a series of individual prism like molds, as in my aforementioned prior application Serial No. 740,898. The dividers 32 have notches 35 in the outer ends thereof, to accommodate the flow of water from one mold to the other, as one mold is filled and to thereby accommodate the use of a single spout 36 connected with a liquid measuring device 37, to successively fill the individual ice molds.

The radial walls 33 and the dividers 32 are tapered toward their outer ends to provide ice prism molds diverging outwardly from the bottom of a particular mold to the top, when the mold is in water receiving position, and diverging outwardly and downwardly when the particular mold has been rotated to an ice releasing position.

The radial walls 33 are shown as extending radially outwardly of the ends of the dividers 32 and as having drip troughs or retainers 39 extending therealong to collect the drops of water dropping from the thawing surfaces of the ice prisms, as the ice prisms are released by the heat of the water filling the upwardly facing molds, and to return the Water to the molds, when the tray is turned to position the molds in a filling position, it being understood that the heat of the water filling the molds thaws the frozen water in the drip'retainer.

A drying rack in the form of a bar 40 is mounted in upwardly opening slots 41 in the end wall 21 of the frame 12 and in similar slots (not shown) in the end wall 28, and cooperates with the drip retainers 39 to support released ice prisms during freezing of the water in an upwardly facing mold, to accommodate the wetted surfaces of the prisms thawed by the heat of the water filling the molds to dry by freezing, as the Water in the upwardly facing ice molds freezes, prior to discharge of the prisms into the storage basket 10. As the water freezes in an upwardly facing mold and the tray is turned to bring an empty ice mold into position to be filled with water, the ice prisms will be released from the bar 40 and drip retainer 39, to fall into the storage basket 10.

An end wall 43 of the ice tray 11, adjacent the heat motor 31, has three camming lugs 44 projecting therefrom toward the heat motor 31 and spaced 120 apart. Each of these camming lugs is adapted to engage a convex camming face 45 of an ice level sensing arm 46, mounted on the inner end of a longitudinally extending shaft 47, rotatably mounted in the casing 30 for the heat motor 31.

The ice level sensing arm 46 is in the general form of a bell crank and has an arm portion 49 extending across the basket 10 and adapted to rest on the ice pieces deposited in said basket and prevent the recycling operation of the ice maker when the basket is filled to a predetermind level, as will hereinafter more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

As herein shown, the pivotal axis of the shaft 47 and sensing arm 46 is so located with respect to the camming lugs 44 that as the tray 11 turns in a counterclockwise direction, to release the ice prisms from the drying rack 40 and to bring a next succeeding batch of ice prisms to be released from their molds, the ice level sensing arm 46 will be raised above the storage basket 10 to clear the sensing arm from the ice prism released from the drying rack 40, and will then be lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 3 to accommodate the continuation of the ice making cycle, unless ice pieces in the storage basket should prevent lowering movement of the ice level sensing arm 46.

The shaft 47 extends within the casing 30 and has a control arm 50 secured to its inner end within said casing and pivotally moved by said shaft upon pivotal movement of the sensing arm 46 (see FIGURES 1 and 4).

The control arm 50 is shown in FIGURE 4 as having an apertured outer end portion 51 having a ball 53 carried therein for movement along the aperture of said 'apertured portion. The ball 53 may be retained to the 50 by any suitable means and abuts a button 54 of a switch 55. The opposite side of the ball 53 from the button 54 is abutted by a plunger 56, mounted on a guide member 57, having guiding engagement within an open ended cylindrical chamber 59 formed within the casing 30. The plunger 56 has a head 60 on its end opposite the ball 53, forming a seat for one end of a spring 61. The spring 61 is seated at its opposite end in a retainer 63 extending across the chamber 49 and suitably secured thereto. The spring 61 biases the plunger 56 into a retracted position. The head 60 has a cap 56 mounted thereon, forming a seat for a spring 66, stronger than the spring 61 and biasing a follower end 67 of a 'slidable operator 69 into engagement with the undersurface of a camming ring 79. The camming ring 70 is rotatably mounted within the casing 30 and the end cap 29, and accommodates the spring 61 to move the plunger 56 in a direction away from the ball 53 to effect movement of the switch 55 in one position by the bias of the switch button 54. This will deenergize the heat motor 31 and accommodate return movement of a power member 31 thereof. A return spring 73 is provided to return the power member 71 upon cooling of the heat motor 31, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as the specification proceeds.

The heat motor 31 is shown as comprising a thermal element heated by a resistor heater 75, encircling a casing 76 for the thermally responsive material of the thermal element, to eflfect the extension of the power member 71 from a cylinder 77 of the thermal element, upon heating of the thermally responsive material to its fusion point. The thermal element herein shown, operates on principles similar to those shown and described in the Vernet Patent No. 2,368,181 dated January 30, 1945, and is of a so-called power or high motion solid fill type of thermal element. The thermally responsive material within the casing 76 may be a wax or a wax and a power powdered metal heat conductor and a binder, and acts against a diaphragm (not shown) within the casing 76, for extensibly moving the power member 71 with respect to the cylinder 77, upon fusion of the thermally responsive material.

The casing 76 and resistor heater 75 are carried within a cylindrical metal well 79, for retarding the rate of cooling of the heat motor, and thereby delaying return movement of the power member 71 a sufiicient length of time to accommodate the ice prisms to freeze before the resistor heater 75 is energized to heat the heat motor 31, to turn the ice tray 11 in a releasing direction. A compression spring. 80 seated at one end against the shouldered portion 81 of the metal cylinder 79, and at its opposite end in an end cover 83 for the casing 30, is provided to accommodate movement of the heat motor 31 in a release direction upon overtravcl of the power member 71 thereof caused by overtempcrature conditions. The casing 76 of the thermal element extends through disk 84 seated on the cylindrical well 79, and abutted by a clamping ring 85 for the thermal element to transmit force to the well 79 to compress the spring 80 upon overtravel of the power member 71. The well 79, in turn, is surrounded by heat insulating material 86 within the casing 30 to retain heat in said well. The return spring 73 is seated at one end in an annular recessed portion 87 of the casing 30, in the opposite end of the casing from the overtravel spring 80. The opposite end of said spring is seated on a shoulder 88 of an operator 89. The operator 89 is mounted on and extends along the power member 71 and is retained from turning movement by key slots 90 extending along the inner wall of the casing 30 and engaged by splines or keys '91 extending from the base of the operator 89. The return spring 73 biases the operator 89 into engagement with the end of the power member 71 and into engagement with a stop flange 93 of a retainer 94, upon cooling of the heat motor, when the power member 71 is in its completely retracted position. The retainer 94 is mounted on the cylinder 77 and clamping ring 85 of the thermal element and serves to limit inward movement of the operator 89 and power member 71.

The operator 89 has a hollow shaft portion 96 extending along the power member 71 and having threads 97 extending along the periphery thereof. The threads 97 may be double threads of a relatively steep pitch and are engageable with internal threads 99 in a drive member 100, rotatably mounted within the casing 30. The drive member 100 has a flanged portion 101 within the cam ring 70 and abutting the end of the casing 30. The flanged portion 101 of the drive member 100 also abuts the inner face of the end cap 29 and is retained from axial movement by said end cap and the end of the easing 30. The drive member 100 is thus rotatably moved by engagement of the external threads with the internal threads 99 upon translational movement of the power member 71 in either a forward or return direction. The flange 101 has a lug 103 extending radially therefrom and movable along an upwardly opening slot 104 formed in the wall of the cam ring 70, for moving said cam ring in a clockwise direction upon engagement with a wall 105 of the slot 104, and for moving said cam ring in an op posite direction upon engagement with a wall 106 in said cam ring (see FIGURE 6).

The drive member 100 has an annular drive portion 107 extending outwardly from the flange thereof about which is coiled a spring 109 forming a one way spring clutch, driving the driving member 27 from the drive member 100 in a direction to turn the tray 11 to accommodate the frozen ice prisms to be discharged therefrom onto the drying rack 40. The one way spring clutch is of a form'well known to those skilled in the art, in which the spring winds up and grips the driving member 27 in one direction of rotation of the drive member 100. and unwinds and releases the driving member 27 in opposite 'ment of the power member 71 slope 1 15 (see FIGURE 7) of accommodate the spring 66 to depress the follower 67 andoperator 69. The spring 61 will, at the same time, .move the plunger 56 to follow the operator I ing molds.

an armature 11 direction of rotation of the drive member 100, so need hot herein be shown or described in detail.

The driving member 27 has three ratchet teeth 110 out in the face thereof and spaced 120 apart in accordance with the spacing of the molds 15 in the tray 11. The ratchet teeth 110 are engaged by a pawl 111 in the form of a pin biased into engagement with said ratchet teeth by a spring 112. The pawl 111 and ratchet teeth 110 thus form an indexing means for indexing the positions of the tray 11.

When the heat motor 31 is cold, the lug 103 will be in engagement with the shoulder 106 of the slot 104. As the resistor heater 75 is energized to heat the casing 76, and effect extensible movement of the power member 71 and turning of the drive member 100 the lug 103 will move toward the shoulder 105. During this motion the cam ring 70 will remain stationary and the switch 55 will be in position to energize the resistor heater 75. Upon continued extensible movement of the power member 71, the lug 103 will come into engagement with the wall 105 of the slot 104. This will effect turning movement of the cam ring 70 into position to accommodate the follower 67 to move along a slope 115 of the cam 70 into a recessed portion 113 of the cam. The switch 55 will then be turned off and the resistor heater 75 will be deenergized. The built-up heat in the heat motor 31 will, however, cause continued extensible movement of the power member 71 and rotatable movement of the cam ring 70 to bring the tray 11 into the position shown in FIGURE '2, and accommodate the frozen ice pieces to be thawed by the heat of the water filling the upwardly facing molds 15 and drop onto the drying rack 40. Extensible movewill then stop and the heat motor will start to cool, the cooling being delayed .by the well 79 for a sufiicient length of time to accommodate water in the ice .turn of the power member 71 by the spring 73. Return .movernent of the power member 71 will rotate the drive molds 15 to freeze prior to remember 100 in a counterclockwise direction and move the lug 103 along the slot 104 from the wall 105 toward .the wall 106. The pick up the cam ring 7 0 and reverse the directlon of rotalug 103 engaging the wall 106' will tion thereof, causing the follower 67 to move along a the cam ring 70. This will 69. This will release pressure from the ball 53 and the button 54 of the switch 55. Said switch will then move into position -to energize the resistor heater 76. The heat motor will then be conditioned to operate and effect turning movement of the tray 11 into position to bring an empty set of molds 15 into an upwardly facing position for filhng, and the frozen water in the preceding molds 15 into position to accommodate the ice pieces to be thawed by the heat of the water filling the empty molds, and pivot about the drip retainers 39 into engagement with the bar 40, for drying during freezing of the water in the upwardly fac- During rotation of the tray 11, to bring the frozen ice device 37 will be energized (FIGURES 8 This will withdraw a valve 117 on the end of 8 from a pilot port 119 leading through 120, and accommodate water under pressure in an inlet 121 for the metering device, to move the diaphragm valve 120 off its seat and flow into a chamber 123 of the metering device through an inlet passageand a diaphragm valve way'124. The metering device 37 will then be filled with water, and during filling thereof, a diaphragm 125 will 'be forced by the fluid under pressure entering the chamer 123, to enlarge the volume of said chamber and to move a piston 126 against a compression spring 127, and store up energy in said spring as the volume of the cham- '-ber 123 is increased. The diaphragm valve 125 and need only be described in sufl icient detail to render my present invention readily understandable. The piston 126 of the metering device 37 has a depend: mg leg 129 having a pin 130 mounted thereon and extending outwardly therefrom along a slot 131 formed in a wall 132 of the metering device. The pin 131- serves to effect the operation of a switch 133, to close the con tacts thereof, and complete an energizing circuit to an outlet solenoid coil'135 of the metering device, through a lower contact 136 of the switch 55;

The switch 133 is diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 10 as being a snap acting switch and the contacts thereof are moved to a closed position upon downward movement of the piston 126 and leg 129. v

The means for operating the switch 133 includes a bar 137, riveted or otherwise secured to the outer end of the rod 130, adjacent its lower end, and vertically guided for movement along a guide member 139 secured to the outside of the wall 132 and extending therealong for a portion of the length thereof. The guide member 139 also forms a mounting for the switch 133. The bar 137 has opposite outturned ends 140 and 14 having the set screws 143 and 144 threaded through the respective outturned ends thereof and locked in position. The'set screws 143 and 144 form adjustable abutments for depressing switch buttons 145 and 146 respectively. Thus when the chamber 123 has been filled with water, the set screw 144 will depress the button 146 to snap the snap switch 133 into a closed position and condition the solenoid 133 to be energized through the lower contact 136 of the switch 55, it being understood that a switch arm 147 of the switch '55 is held in position to engage an upper contact 149 of said switch by the cam ring 70 and plunger 56, and that the switch arm 147 is moved by the bias of the spring of the switch, to engage and complete a circuit through the lower contact 136, when the follower 67 rides on the low part 113 of the cam ring 70, as an empty set of molds 15 is brou ht into be filled through the spout 36. g po-smon to Filling of the empty ice molds is'attained by the energy stored up in the spring 127, upon the opening of a d aphragm valve 150 as the solenoid coil 135; is energized. Energization of the solenoid coil 135 will withdraw a pilot valve 156 from an orifice 157 leading through the diaphragm valve. The pressure of water in an inlet passageway 159 and an annular passageway 160 will then open the valve 150 and accommodate a measured volume water to pass through an outlet 161 the metering device, for discharge through the spout 36 into an upwardly facing set of molds 15.

Refenring now in particular to FIGURES l, 4 and 10, as the ice pieces are frozen in the upwardly facing molds 15, the heat motor 31 will have cooled sufiiciently to' accommodate the spring 73 to retract operator 89 and bring the lug 103 into engagement with the abutment 106 of the notch .104. Continued cooling of they heat motor will effect movement of the cam ring 70 in a counterclockwise direction. This will engagethe follower 67 with the high part of the cam and effect movement of the switch arm 147 into engagement with the stationary contact 149. The resistor heater 75 will then be energized to heat the heat motor 31. The solenoid coil 116 will also be energized to open the valve 120 to the inlet 121. Water will then flow through the inlet to fill the measuring chamber 123.

As the heat motor 31 is heated, the tray 11 will start to rotate. The ice prisms supported on the drip retainers 39 and drying rack 40 will then fall into the storage basket 10.

While the tray is rotating, the chamber 123 of the measuring device is being filled with water, and as it is filled the set screw 144 will engage the switch button 146 of the switch 133 and snap the switch closed. This 7 will condition a circuit to the solenoid coil 135 to open the valve 150 when an empty set of ice molds 15 is in position to be filled, and the switch arm 147 has moved into engagement with the lower contact 136.

As the tray 11 rotates a predetermined distance. which in the present disclosure may be l, the lug 103 on the drive member 100 will engage the wall 105 of the notch 104 and rotate the cam ring into position to accommodate the follower 67 to move onto the low part '113 of the cam ring. This will accommodate the switch arm 147 of the switch 55 to move out of engagement with the contact 149 into engagement with the contact 136. will deenergize the resistor heater 75 and the solenoid coil 116 and effect closing of the inlet valve 120. A A circuit will then be completed through lower contact 136 of the switch 55 and through the snap switch 133 to energize the coil 135 and effect opening of the outlet valve 150. The spring 137, piston 126 and diaphragm 127 will then force a measured quantity of water through the outlet from the valve 150 and through the spout 36 to fill the upwardly facing ice molds 15.

As the empty molds 115 are filled, the diaphragm 125 will move into the upwardly extended position shown in FIGURE 9. The set screw 143 will then engage the switch button 145 of the switch 133 and open said switch and deenergize the solenoid coil 135.

The heat motor 31, however, will continue its forward stroke due to the stored up heat retained by the well 79. As the heat motor continues its forward stroke the tray 11 will continue to rotate past the ratchet tooth 110. The 's'tu'd 44 will then come into engagement with the camming face 45 of the ice level sensing arm 46 and first raise the arm and then accommodate the arm to be low- 'ered as the stud 44 moves past said arm. This will free the sensing arm from any ice prisms which may be deposited upon the top of the arm, and accommodate the arm to rest on the ice pieces deposited in the basket 10.

The tray 11 will then be brought into the position shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 and the frozen ice pieces loosened from the ice molds by the heat of the water filling the empty molds will drop into engagement with the retainer 39 and pivot onto the drying rack 40. The

ice pieces will be held on this drying rack to dry the wetted surfaces thereof by freezing, until the water in the upwardly facing ice molds 15 is frozen. As the water in the upwardly facing ice molds 15 freezes into ice :prisms, if the sensing arm has dropped sutiiciently to register the ball 53 with the switch button 54 and plunger 56, the movable switch arm 147 will move into engagement with the stationary contact 149. The resistor heat- "er 75 will be again energized and the ice making cycle 'will be repeated.

by aresistor heater for rotating the tray 11 and operating the 'switch 55 to effect energization and deenergization of the heat motor and the inlet solenoid of the measuring device in cooperation with the sensing arm '46, that an electric motor may be substituted for the heat motor to carry out and control the carrying out of the ice making cycles.

It will further be understood that various other modifieatio'ns and variations in the present invention may be effected "without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I- claim as my invention:

1. In an actuating device for effecting the emptying and filling of an ice receptacle, a thermally responsive element, a resistor heater energizable to heat said thermally responsive element to effect operation thereof, motion translating means for translating motion of said thermally responsive element to rotatable motion, a switch having a switch button operated by said motion translating means, and the operative connection to said switch including an ice level sensing arm having a movable member registerable with said switch button to accommodate operation thereof by said motion translating means, and preventing operation of said switch when out of registery with said switch button.

2. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds in heat transfer relation with respect to each other, electrically energizable motor means, a rotatable drive member driven by said motor means and having operative connection with said ice tray for rotatably moving said ice tray to position frozen ice pieces therein into position to discharge the ice pieces therefrom by gravity, means for filling the upwardly facing molds with water and breaking the bonds between the downwardly facing ice pieces and their molds by the heat of the water filling the upwardly facing molds, control means actuated by rotatable movement of drive member controlling the energization and deenergization of said electrically energizable motor means and the filling and emptying of said molds, including a control member, an engaging connection between said drive member and said control member for actuating said control member in accordance with rotatable movement of said molds, a switch, and an operative connection between said switch and said control member including an ice level sensing arm having a movable member carried thereby, normally in position to accommodate operation of said switch by said control means and retained out of position to accommodate operation of said switch by a predetermined level of ice cubes discharged from said molds.

3. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds in heat transfer relation with respect to each other, a metering device for metering water to the upwardly facing molds having an inlet valve and an outlet valve, a motor for rotatably moving said tray, electrical energizable means for operating said motor, an ice level sensing arm sensing the level of the ice cubes discharged from said tray, a single switch controlling operation of said motor and effecting the opening and closing of said inlet valve and the opening and closing of said outlet valve, means operated by operation of said motor for controlling operation of said switch and cooperating with said sensing arm to continue the cycling of the ice maker until the discharge of a predetermined level of ice cubes, as determined by said sensing arm.

4. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds in heat transfer relation with respect to each other, a heat motor for turning said tray into position to accommodate the discharge of ice pieces therefrom and including an electric heater, a thermal element heated thereby having an extensible power member, extensible upon the heating of said thermal element, a motion converting drive from said power member to said tray to effect rotation thereon in one direction, means for filling the empty ice molds with Water, and control means actuated by said motion converting drive for energizing and deenergizing said heater and operating said filling means to effect the filling of the empty ice molds with water comprising a single switch, and cam means controlling operation of said switch.

5. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of opposite facing molds, a heat motor for turning said ice tray into position to accommodate the discharge of ice pieces therefrom by gravity, said heat motor including a thermal-element, an elecu'ic heater therefor and "a power member extensibly movable'withrespect to' said thermal element upon energization of said electric heater, spring means returning said power member upon deenergization of said heater, a motion converting drive from said power member to said tray to effect-rotation thereof in one direction upon extensible movement'of said power member, a pivoted ice level sensing arm sensing the level of ice pieces discharged from said molds, and control means actuated by said motion converting drive for energizing and deenergizing said electric heater including" a single switch, cam means operated by said motion confverting drive, and an operative connection from said cam means to said switch including said ice level sensing arm.

6. In an ice maker, an ice freezing tray having a plural- 'ity of oppositely facing molds, means for filling the upwardly facing molds with water to effect release of ice pieces from the downwardly facing molds by the heat of the filling water, means for turning said tray step by step to position the frozen ice pieces in position to be released by gravity including a thermal element having an extensible power member, an electric heater for said thermal element effecting extensible movement of said power member, a spring eifecting retractable movement of said power member upon deenergization of said electric heater, a motion converting drive converting the rectilinear movement of said power member to rotatable movement including a rotatable drive member, a one-way dr-ive connection from said rotatable drive member to said tray, control means actuated by rotatable movement of said drive member for controlling the energization and de energization of said electric heating means including a cam, a lost motion connection from said rotatable drive member to said cam to effect movement of said cam at the ends of extensible and retractable movement of said power member, and a switch operated by said cam effecting the energization and deenergization of said heater and controlling the filling of the upwardly facing ice molds with Water.

7. In an ice maker, an ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds, metering means for filling the upwardly facing molds with water to effect the release of ice pieces from the downwardly facing molds by the heat of the filling water, means for turning said tray step by step to position the frozen ice pieces in position to be released by gravity including a thermal element having an extensible power member and an electric heater ener gizahle to heat said thermal element to effect extensible movement of said power member, spring means for retractably moving said power member upon deenergization of said heater, a motion converting drive from said power member converting the rectilinear motion of said power member to rotatable motion, a one-way drive connection from said drive member to said tray, control means controlling the energization and deenergization of said electric heater and the filling of said tray comprising a cam rotatably moved by said drive member, a switch operated by said cam and elfective to energize and deenergize said electric heater and control the filling of said ice trays, and an ice level sensing arm having a movable control member interposed between said cam and said switch for continuing the cycling of said ice maker and rendering said cam ineffective to operate said switch upon the discharge of a predetermined level of ice pieces from said tray.

8. In an ice maker, an ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds, means for filling the upwardly facing molds with water to' effect the release of ice pieces from the downwardly facing molds by the heat of the filling water, means for turning said tray step by step to position the frozen ice pieces in position to be released by gravity including a thermal element having an extensible'power member, an electric heater energizable to elfect extensible movement of said power member, a spring for retractibly moving said power member upon deenergization of said heater, a motion converting drive member converting the'rectilinear movement of said power member to rotatable movement including. a rotatable drive member, a one-way drive connection from said drive member to said tray including a driven member and a one-way clutch connecting said drive member with said driven member, indexing means indexing the position of said tray, a cam rotatably movable about said drive member, a lost motion drive connection from said drive member to said cam for moving said cam at the ends of the forward and return strokes of said power member, a switch controlling the energization and deenergization of said heater and the filling of said ice molds with water, and an operative connection from said cam to said switch including an ice level sensing arm rendering said cam ineffective to operate said switch upon the discharge of ice cubes from said molds above a predetermined level. v

9. In an ice maker, an ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds, means for. filling the upwardly facing molds with water to effect the release of ice pieces from the downwardly facing molds by the heat of the filling water, means for turning said tray step by step to position 'the'frozen ice pieces in position to be released by gravity'including a thermal-element having an extensible power member, an electric heater energizable to effect extensible movement of said power member, a

spring for retractibly moving said power member upon deenergization of said heater, a motion converting drive men'1ber converting the rectilinear movement of said said drive member to said tray including a driven member and a one-way clutch connecting said 'drive member with said driven member, indexing means indexing the position of said tray, a cam rotatably. movable about said drive member, a lost motion drive connection from said drive member to said cam for moving said cam at the ends of the forward and return strokes of said power member, a switch controlling the energization and deenergization of said heater and the filling of said ice molds with water, an operative connection from said cam to said switch including an ice level sensing arm rendering said cam ineffective to operate said switch upon the discharge of ice cubes from said molds above a predetermined level, said sensing arm having a control member movably mounted therein normally in registry with said switch, and a camming connection between said tray and said sensing arm for raising said sensing arm upon rotatable movement of said tray as the frozen ice cubes are discharged therefrom, and accommodating lowering of said sensing arm into position to register said movable member in operative relation with respect to said switch. I

10. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds, a storage basket beneath said tray, an ice level sensing arm mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said tray, a plurality of camming projections projecting from said tray, each camming projection having association with an oppositely facing mold and being spaced apart in accordance with the spacing of said molds, said camming projections having camming engagement with said sensing arm for raising and lowering said sensing arm upon rotation of said tray to position a set of said molds to release ice pieces therefrom, a

motor, a one-way drive connection from said motor to said tray for rotatably driving said tray, a metering device for effecting the filling of the empty ice molds with water, a single switch controlling energization and deenergization of said motor and the operation of said metering device to eifect the filling of the empty ice molds with water and having a movable operating member, a cam operated by rotation of said motor controlling operation of said switch, and a movable member operated by said ice level sensing arm and interposed between said "11 earn and. said switch operating member whereby said ice level sensing arm moves said movable member out of: registry with said switch operating member-and renders said cam ineffective to operate said switch'upon the deposit of a predetermined level of ice pieces in said storage basket.

11. In an ice maker, a rotatable ice tray having a plurality of oppositely facing molds, a storage basket beneath said tray, an ice level sensing arm mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said tray, camming projections projecting from said tray and spaced in accordance with the spacing of said molds and having camming engagement with said sensing arm for. raising and lowering said sensing arm upon rotation of said trayv to position a set of said molds to release ice cubes therefrom, a driving member for rotatably driving said tray, a drive member, a heat motor for rotatably driving said drive member including a thermal element having an extensible power member and an electric heater for heating said thermal element, spring means retractibly moving said power member, a motion translating drive from said power member to said drive member to efiiect rotation of said drive member in opposite directions upon extensible and retractible movement of said power member, a one-way clutch connecting said drive member with said driving member, a switch controlling the energization and deenergization of said electric. heater, a cam operated by said drive member at the ends of the strokes of said power member, an operative connection between said cam and said switch including a plunger, and a pivoted arm pivoted by said ice level sensing arm and having a movable member carried thereby registering with said plunger and switch to effect operation of said switch by said plunger and moved by said sensing arm out of registry with said plunger to render said plunger inefiective to operate said switch.

12.1n an ice maker, a rotatable ice receptacle having a plurality of oppositely facing ice molds therein, means efiecting the emptying of frozen ice pieces from certain of said molds and the filling of the empty molds with water, comprising a valve, electrical energizable means for opening said valve, a thermally responsive element operable in two directions, electric heating means for heating said thermally responsive element to effect operation thereof in a first direction, spring means for efiecting operation of said thermally responsive element in an opposite direction, means deenergizing said electrically energizable heating means comprising a switch, said switch being operated by said thermally responsive element at the. end of travelthereof in a first direction, to deenergize said electric heating means and to energize said electrically energizable means for opening said valve, to open said valve and efiect the filling of the empty molds with water, ice level sensing means cooperating with said switch to continue an ice emptying and filling cycle and to render said switch ineffective to continue an emptying, filling and freezing cycle upon the discharge of a predetermined level of ice pieces, and successive engaging connections between said receptacle and said ice level sensing means for moving said ice level sensing means out of cooperative relation with said switch during each cycle of rotatable movement of said ice receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

